Tuesday, 31 December 2013

After
a very poor autumn for rarities in Extremadura,
especially compared with the outstanding year of 2012, when between
September and December several species of rare geese were found, a
White-tailed Eagle, a Pallid Harrier, a Yellow-browed Warbler, a
Ruppell`s Vulture and two Buff-breasted Sandpipers. During
the same period in 2013 we have not had much to show…until
the 30th
December 2013, when Fergus Crystal found a Lesser Yellowlegs (Tringa
flavipes)
in the rice fields close to the village of Puebla de
Alcollarín(Villar
de Rena, Badajoz). In the same day José Guerra, Marc Gálvez (photos,
see link) and
José Gómez Aparicio were able to watch it as well and suggested it
was an adult; after that the bird flew off and was not relocated.

[NOTE:
the bird was found again on 7th
January 2014by
Martin Kelsey on another rice field at the same area, Puebla de
Alcollarín.
On 8th
January
it was seen by Alberto
Gil at the same site. On 11th
January seen again by
Pablo Prieto, Francisco Montaño, Sergio Mayordomo, César Clemente,
Javier Prieta, Eva Palacios, M. Gálvez, J. Guerra, Antonio Calvo,
Pepe Guisado, Pilar Goñi y Neil Renwick. On 10th February is seen again in the same place by Martin Kelsey]

This
is the second
record of this species in Extremadura.
The first took place 14 years ago: a probable adult seen by Agustín
Mogena on8th
August 1999 at Valdesalor reservoir(Cáceres).

The
Lesser Yellowlegs is a New World
wader that breeds in the Arctic and
Winters from the South of North America to Chile and Argentina.In
mainland Spain there have been 57 accepted records up until 2011.
On one occasion, two birds were together, otherwise all the records
are of single birds.Although
it has been recorded in every month of the year, the peak is clearly
in autumn (September-December), with
a second peak in April-May. It has been recorded throughout the
peninsular, as well as on the Caneries and Balearics, but
mainly innorth-west
Spain. This is a typical pattern
for neartic waders. As far as we know, there were only autumn records
in 2013, from August onwards with five records: Valencia, Navarra, La
Coruña and two in the Algarve (Reservoir
Birds,Rare
Birds in Spain).

The
Government of Extremadura has
published the results of the Black Vulture (also known as Monk or
Cinereous Vulture) (Aegypius
monachus)
census of 2013(see
link),
showing the highest ever known population of 897
breeding pairs.
Furthermore, the breeding success of 806
pairs was monitored, showing that 590 young fledged,
in other wordsa
breeding success of 73%.
The first Black Vulture censuses, albeit only partially completed,
were from 1974, when only 86 pairs were known in the whole region.
With the passing of time, the quality of the censuses has
significantly improved, but there was also a true increase in the
population with the figures in 1990 reaching 404 pairs, in 2000 610
pairs and in 2006 to 829 breeding pairs. Since then the population
has remained, with small fluctuations, between 800 and 900 pairs. One
must take into account that this type of census will always
underestimate the real population, owing to the difficulty of
determining if pairs do breed or because some nests remain undetected
(in order to do a thorough census it is reckoned that 16 visits are
necessary). Notwithstanding these caveats, it is clear that
Extremadura has the most important Black Vulture population in
Europe. For further information about the population,
evolution and distribution of the Black Vulture in Extremaduraread
here

- Egyptian Goose: Six at Los Canchales reservoir (BA) (Toribio Álvarez) and
one at Brovales reservoir, Jerez
de los Caballeros (BA) (Antonio Núñez), on 01/11. Two present on a pool in La Serena (BA) on 09/11 (F.
Montaño and G. Montaño). Two at La Isla pool, Navalvillar de
Pela (BA), 19/11 (Juan Antonio Barquero). Two at Valdecañas reservoir (CC) on 23/11 (Dave
Langlois and Sammy Langlois).

- Ruddy Shelduck: Two at Valdecañas reservoir (CC) on 08/11 (Sergio
Mayordomo) and on 23/11 (D. Langlois and S. Langlois).
Two at Borbollón reservoir (CC) on 16/11 (Goyo Naharro). One at Santa Amalia
rice fields (BA) on 29/11 (Fernando Yuste).

- Common Shelduck: Two at Valdecañas reservoir (CC) on 08/11 (S. Mayordomo)
and one on 10/11 (Javier Briz and Vicente Risco). Seven present at Sierra Brava
reservoir, Zorita (CC), on 13/11 (Martin Kelsey) and two on 24/11 (José Guerra,
Marc Gálvez, Miquel Ángel López and Núria Tarrasón). Two on the Santa Amalia
rice fields (BA) on 22/11 (Ángel Sánchez), three on 23/11 (Á. Sánchez and F.
Yuste) and six on 28/11 (Kelly Renwick, Neil Renwick and William Haworth) and
on 29/11 (F. Yuste).

- Ferruginous
Duck: Four at pool of Los Calles, Toril (CC), on 01/11 (E. Palacios -photo-
and J. G. Aparicio) and on 08/11 (S. Mayordomo),
and five there on 23/11 (Antolín Redondo, Guillermo Rivas and Leandro Rivas).
Three at La Atalaya,
Aldea del Cano (CC), on 10/11 (A. Núñez and V. de Alba) and on 17/11 (Jesús
Solana), still present on 25/11 (Alejandro Puerto) and four there on 28/11 (S.
Mayordomo). One at Corral Alto pool, Zorita (CC), on 30/11 (Pepe Guisado and
Pilar Goñi).

- Northern Bobwhite: Two in stubble
at Montijo (BA) on 15/11 (P. Herrador).

- Black-necked
Grebe: Two at Sierra Brava
reservoir, Zorita (CC), on 10/11 (Antonio Calvo -photo-), on
13/11 and on 22/11 (M. Kelsey), and one there on 24/11 (J. Guerra, M. Gálvez,
M. Á. López and N. Tarrasón). One
at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (BA), on 30/11 (M. Kelsey and S.
Mayordomo).

- Squacco
Heron: Two in rice
fields at El Batán (CC) on 03/11 (S. Mayordomo) and one on 19/11 (C. Clemente).
One seen from Puente Viejo in Badajoz
on 04/11 and 2 el 17/11 (Juan Carlos Paniagua). One in rice fields at Palazuelo
(BA) on 24/11 (M. Á. Muñoz).

- Black Stork: Four on the Canal de las Dehesas (BA/CC)
on 01/11 (José Ángel Sánchez and Luis Salguero), one on 16/11 (A. Calvo), three
on 19/11 (J. A. Barquero) and 11 on 22/11 (Á. Sánchez). One
at Villar de Plasencia (CC) on 05/11 (Ricardo Montero). Two at Fresnedillas, Oliva de Plasencia
(CC) on 11/11 (R. Montero) and four there on 16/11 (Javier Prieta) and also on 24/11
(Jesús Montero). Three at the El Sevillano dam, Puebla de Alcocer (BA), on 12/11
(J. A. Barquero). One at Moheda Alta, Navalvillar de Pela (BA), on 16/11 (A.
Calvo). One at Jarripa reservoir, Torremocha (CC), on 25/11
(A. Puerto). One at Galisteo (CC) on 27/11 (S. Mayordomo). Two at Dehesa de
Solana, Herrera de Alcántara (CC) on 28/11 (Antonio Galán).

- Glossy Ibis: One at Galisteo (CC) on 01/11 (E.
Palacios and J. G. Aparicio) and three there on 03/11 (J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo). Four at El Batán rice fields (CC) on 01/11
(E. Palacios and J. G. Aparicio) and on 05/11
(R. Montero). Four in a Cattle Egret roost at Valdeobispo lagoon (CC) on 03/11
(J. Prieta and S. Mayordomo). Five at Santa
Amalia (BA) on 15/11 (José Antonio Román), on 24/11 (F. Montaño) and on 28/11
(K. Renwick, N. Renwick and W. Haworth).

- Sanderling: One at large lagoon
at La Albuera
(BA) on 23/11 (G. Schreur and P. Schreur).

- Curlew Sandpiper: One at Moral
reservoir, Los Santos de Maimona (BA), on 08/11 (A. Núñez and V. de Alba). Two
on rice fields at Santa Amalia (BA) on 09/11 (F. Montaño and G. Montaño). One
on rice fields between Palazuelo (BA) and Campo Lugar (CC) on 17/11 (M.
Kelsey).

- Jack Snipe: One in irrigation
canal at Galisteo (CC) on 11/11 (J. Guerra y M. Gálvez). One in rice fields at
Riolobos (CC) on 13/11 (S. Mayordomo). Four in rice fields at Palazuelo (BA) on
24/11 (M. Á. Muñoz).

- Woodcock: One at Puebla de Obando (BA) on 15/11 (J. L.
Bautista and P. Herrador)

- Spotted Redshank: One at Charco Salado, Casatejada (CC),
on 08/11 amd another at Lugar Nuevo, Peraleda de la Mata (CC) (S. Mayordomo). Two at Santa Amalia (BA) on 09/11 (F.
Montaño and G. Montaño). One on rice fields between Palazuelo (BA) and Campo
Lugar (CC) on 13/11, 2 on 22/11 (M. Kelsey) and one on 28/11 (K. Renwick, N.
Renwick and W. Haworth). One
at La Jarilla
reservoir (CC) on 16/11 (J. Prieta).

- Yellow-legged Gull: At least four
at Mérida landfill (BA) on 07/11 (M. Gálvez). One at Valdecañas reservoir (CC)
on 08/11 (S. Mayordomo). One at Alange reservoir (BA) on 10/11 (J. Guerra and
M. Gálvez). Two at Badajoz
landfill on16/11 (J. C. Paniagua).

- Stock Dove: 20 at Galisteo (CC)
on 05/11 (R. Montero) and two on 11/11 (J. Guerra, M. Gálvez and S. Mayordomo). 60 at Vegas Altas (BA) on 15/11 (M.
Kelsey). Two at Riolobos (CC) on 20/11 (S. Mayordomo). Six at Cortijo
de la Concepción,
Retamal de Llerena (BA), on 30/11 (M. Gálvez).

- Ring-necked Parakeet: One seen on
riverside trail, Plasencia (CC) on 03/11 (R. Montero) and on 21/11 (Montaña
Domínguez).

- Monk Parakeet: Four at Parque del Príncipe de Cáceres
on 04/11 (Alberto Gil) and at the municipal hostel on 17/11 (Francisco Javier Caballero).